Strake Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Houston, TX EIN: 76-0041524

Strake Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2024 filing describes 203 grants to churches, schools, and other nonprofit causes. The filing identifies Catholic institutions, youth education at the high school level and above, women’s health and pro-life causes, free markets and individual liberty, Houston civic and community causes, and Houston homelessness and low-income needs as primary giving categories.

Strake Foundation at a glance

In short: Strake Foundation gave $3.4M across 203 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Texas. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$3,399,000
+18.1% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
203
-1.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$16,744
+19.3% vs 2023
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$47,325,772
+5.6% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
28% first-time grantees (55 of 197, 2024)
Primary geography
Texas (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Strake Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
Yes
How to Apply

The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and accepts unsolicited requests. Applications are processed online; applicants are instructed to email the grants administrator to receive the portal link. The filing limits applicants to one grant application per calendar year and states a preference for 501(c)(3) organizations, with an emphasis on Houston.

Review Cycle
No deadlines.
Deadline
No deadlines.
Contact

Application contact: Grants Administrator
Mailing address: 712 Main Street Suite 3300, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 400-1170

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Strake Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Inc: $700K across 2 grantsStrake Jesuit CollegePreparatory Inc$700K · 2 grantsSt Piux X High School: $120KSt Piux X High School$120KSan Jose Clinic: $80KSan Jose Clinic$80KBoy Scouts of America: $75KBoy Scouts of America$75KPontifical North American College: $75KPontifical North AmericanCollege$75KFaith in Practiice: $50KFaith in Practiice$50KFellowship of Catholic Univ Students: $50KFellowship of Catholic UnivStudents$50KHouston Methodist Foundation: $50KHouston Methodist Foundation$50KSpringSpirit: $43K across 2 grantsSpringSpirit$43K · 2 grantsUniversity of St Thomas: $35KUniversity of St Thomas$35K

The largest 2024 recipient was Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Inc ($700K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.

Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($45,000), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

1,209 grants across all recorded years

1172<$50K22$50–100K14$100–250K$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,172 grants of 1,209 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The filing states that giving has a Houston emphasis. In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 4% to Colorado, 4% to Washington, DC, 1% to Virginia, and 1% to Arizona.

Grant Distribution by State

30states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 203 itemized grants.

Cities

HoustonAustinWashingtonDallasColorado SpringsArlingtonCorpus ChristiSpringSan AntonioBeaumontBellaireChicagoConroeGalvestonIrvingKatyPhoenixRestonAddisonDenver

Is Strake Foundation open to new grantees?

28%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 55 of 197 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $18K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 21% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M284 grants2020 293 grants2021 224 grants2022 205 grants2023 203 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2020) to $3.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 203 grants totaling $3.4M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Inc Houston, TXOur way of Proceeding Enhancement$600,000
St Piux X High School Houston, TXUpgrade Football Field$120,000
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Inc Houston, TXOur way of Proceeding Enhancement$100,000
San Jose Clinic Houston, TXImproving Health to the uninsured and medically underserved of Greater Houston$80,000
Boy Scouts of America Houston, TXCamp Strake Improvement$75,000
Pontifical North American College Washington, DCCorso Auditorium Renovation$75,000
Faith in Practiice Houston, TXFunding Request for Surgical Teams 30th Anniversary Gala$50,000
Fellowship of Catholic Univ Students Denver, COBuilding a Generation of Moral and Faithful Leaders$50,000
Houston Methodist Foundation Houston, TXHeart Institute$50,000
University of St Thomas Houston, TXScholarship Gala$35,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$47,325,772$6,380,576$4,075,947$3,399,000203$3,770,612$6,075,241$3,317,475
2023$44,824,735$3,438,474$3,484,714$2,877,400205$3,181,242$3,135,002$3,134,275
2022$44,872,660$18,528,735$3,179,825$2,547,425224$2,841,754$18,190,664$2,840,162
2021$30,784,351$10,670,780$3,532,908$2,803,150293$3,152,710$10,290,582$2,774,342
2020$23,480,977$1,920,590$3,088,422$2,325,500284—$1,543,761$2,475,157

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Strake Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No standalone mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing states that it makes grants to churches, schools, and other nonprofit causes, and names its primary giving categories as Catholic institutions, youth education at the high school level and above, women’s health and pro-life causes, free markets and individual liberty, Houston civic and community causes, and Houston homelessness and low-income needs.

Its grants include support for education, health, youth, and community organizations. For example, the University of St. Thomas describes itself as a Catholic university committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition and to teaching, scholarship, and service. Circle Ten Council of the Boy Scouts of America says its purpose is to extend Scouting in northeast Texas and southeast Oklahoma through programs that build character, citizenship, and personal fitness. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 203 grants totaling $3,399,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $600,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest awards were $600,000 and $100,000 to Strake Jesuit College Preparatory for “Our way of Proceeding Enhancement,” $120,000 to St Piux X High School for a football field upgrade, $80,000 to San Jose Clinic for care for uninsured and medically underserved people in Greater Houston, and $75,000 to Boy Scouts of America for Camp Strake improvements.

Other 2024 grants included $75,000 to Pontifical North American College for a renovation, $50,000 to Houston Methodist Foundation for its Heart Institute, and $35,000 to the University of St. Thomas for a scholarship gala. Additional recipients included the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which describes its work as promoting liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise; an individual recipient Dallas College Prep, which serves students from low- to moderate-income households; and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Tyler, which says it serves people in need through food, clothing, and limited utility assistance.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists George W. Strake III as president and treasurer and Randall K. Woodruff as executive director. Other listed officers and directors are Diana D. Hoover, vice president; Robert S. Parsley, secretary; Melanie S. Meeks, Linda Johnson, John S. Parsley, Stephen D. Strake, Kathy Covey, and Sharon McNearney, directors.

Strake Foundation is led by Randall K. Woodruff, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; all 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Randall K. Woodruff

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    32 hrs/week

    $166K (2020) → $182K (2024)

  • George W. Strake III

    President & Treasurer

    On filings since 2023

    5 hrs/week

    $2K (2023) → $5K (2024)

  • Kathy Covey

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    $5K (2020) → $5K (2024)

  • Melanie S. Meeks

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    $5K (2022) → $5K (2024)

  • John S. Parsley

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2023) → $3K (2024)

  • Linda Johnson

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    $5K (2023) → $5K (2024)

  • Sharon McNearney

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    $5K (2023) → $3K (2024)

  • Stephen D. Strake

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2023) → $5K (2024)

  • Diana D. Hoover

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    $5K (2020) → $5K (2024)

  • Robert S. Parsley

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    $5K (2020) → $5K (2024)

Former officers (12)
  • Former: George W. Strake Jr. (2020–2023) — Past President & Treasurer
  • Former: Ken Baldwin (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Kurt Hansen (2023) — Director
  • Former: Fred Magee (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Colleen Stroup (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Wesley Hunt (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Eleanor Magee (2022) — Director
  • Former: Sandra Moffett (2022) — Director
  • Former: Jana McHenry (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Mano Deayala (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Michele Strake (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: William Jackson (2020) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Randall K Woodruff — Exec DIR: $182KRandall K WoodruffExec DIR$182KDiana D Hoover — Vice President: $5KDiana D HooverVice President$5KRobert S Parsley — Secretary: $5KRobert S ParsleySecretary$5KMelanie S Meeks — Director: $5KMelanie S MeeksDirector$5KLinda Johnson — Director: $5KLinda JohnsonDirector$5KGeorge W Strake III — President/Treasurer: $5KGeorge W Strake IIIPresident/Treasurer$5KStephen D Strake — Director: $5KStephen D StrakeDirector$5KKathy Covey — Director: $5KKathy CoveyDirector$5KJohn S Parsley — Director: $3KJohn S ParsleyDirector$3KSharon McNearney — Director: $3KSharon McNearneyDirector$3K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $182K, to Randall K Woodruff (Exec DIR). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Strake Foundation

How much does Strake Foundation give each year?

Strake Foundation gave $3.4M across 203 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.9M across 205 grants.

What is Strake Foundation's typical grant size?

Strake Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,744, across 203 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Strake Foundation that year got $15K on average.

Where does Strake Foundation give grants?

Strake Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (126 grants), Austin, TX (8 grants), Dallas, TX (6 grants) and Washington, DC (5 grants).

Does Strake Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 14% of Strake Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 203) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Strake Foundation's largest grantees?

Strake Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Inc ($700,000 across 2 grants), St Piux X High School ($120,000) and San Jose Clinic ($80,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($45,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Strake Foundation?

Strake Foundation reported $47.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Strake Foundation fund?

No standalone mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Strake Foundation?

The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Strake Foundation's EIN?

Strake Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0041524. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Strake Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Strake Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/strake-foundation-morg_66fcd5419cef49caa262ea861f073a94

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760041524_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Strake Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/strake-foundation-morg_66fcd5419cef49caa262ea861f073a94},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Strake Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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